Evaluation of Full-Thickness Skin Grafting with De-Epithelialization of the Wound Margin for Finger Defects with E xposed Tendon

	Evaluation of Full-Thickness Skin Grafting with De-Epithelialization of the Wound Margin for Finger Defects with E xposed Tendon
Iraqi Postgraduate Medical Journal
Article 2, Volume 19, Issue 3, 2020, Pages 187-193 PDF (0 K)
Abstract
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Full-thickness skin grafts are generally considered unreliable for coverage of full-thickness finger defects with exposed tendons, but there are some clinical reports of its use in this context. In this study, covering the exposed tendon with FTSG with de-epithelialization of wound edges was chosen. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability of FTSG survival on an exposed tendon in full thickness finger defects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2017 to May 2018, nine patients (5 males, 4 females), with tendon-exposed defects of 12 fingers managed with FTSGs.This included marginal de-epithelialization of the normal skin surrounding the defect, and preservation of the subdermal plexus of the central graft, and partial excision of the dermis along the graft margin. The donor site was from mastoid, wrist or groin region. RESULTS: Most of grafts (10 of 12 fingers) survived without significant surgical complications and achieved satisfactory functional and aesthetic results. CONCLUSION: In this study graft survival was good, with no additional surgical injury of the normal fingers, and satisfactory functional and aesthetic outcomes. However, few disadvantages like depression and graft hyperpigmentation were recorded. Therefore, FTSG is an option for treatment of full-thickness finger defects with the exposed tendon.
Keywords
Skin graft; exposed tendon

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